Saturday 23rd May 2009
Alyarf scores in King Charles II Stakes
ALYARF served up a sizzling display to land the King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket today.
The Barry Hills-trained colt was last seen when finishing fourth in the banshahousestables.com Craven Stakes.
Dropped back to seven furlongs for this afternoon’s Listed contest, Alyarf had pace-setting Courageous in his sights before hitting the front himself 2f out.
He surged clear with a neat turn of foot and had a length and three quarters to spare from Nasri. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Donativum could only finish fourth.
Angus Gold, racing manager to winning owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, said: “The Jersey Stakes (at Royal Ascot) is very much a possibility but we might have a couple of others for the race in Ouqba and Infiraad, so we will see.”
The other Listed race on the card, the Spillers Horse Feeds Fairway Stakes, went the way of Palavicini.
Second over course and distance in the stanjames.com Newmarket Stakes three weeks ago, he went one better for Eddie Ahern holding the late charge of Father Time.
Winning trainer John Dunlop said: “He is a lovely-looking horse and we might just look at the Hampton Court Stakes at Ascot now.”
Bouvardia recorded a second successive victory with a blistering performance in the coral.co.uk Sprint.
Following on from her handicap success at Nottingham, she put in an impressive display, always racing handily for jockey Tom Queally.
She came to collar the favourite Proclaim over a furlong out and then stayed on in tough-as-teak fashion to prevail by half a length at odds of 4/1.
Mike Marshall, assistant to winning trainer Henry Cecil, said: “She couldn’t have done it any better. In front for a long time, it was very pleasing to see her finish her race in the way she did.
“She did her job very well and hopefully there is more to come from her as she is a filly with plenty of ability.”
Step In Time was a brave winner of the EBF Anne Scriven Maiden Stakes, while Surour - successful in the Home Of Racing handicap - is proving a big improver for trainer David Simcock.
Loch Linnhe was the widest-margin winner on the card as he had eight lengths in hand over Seaway in the Rob & Angela Mckeown Double Celebration maiden.
The concluding Course of Champions handicap was secured by Hendersyde for trainer Walter Swinburn.
The final meeting of the Spring season on the Rowley Mile takes place on Sunday May 24 with the first race due off at 2.20pm
Tony Rushmer
